Everything else - a potentially dominating defense, Adrian Peterson, the offensive line, Reggie Smith’s multidimensional impact - is but a subplot.
Story lines? Thompson shapes this season’s story line. And right now, he’s a mystery.
What OU’s players and coaches and fans need and crave is for Thompson to show he’s capable of guiding his team to its potential. Make enough plays, not so much spectacular plays, but the necessary plays.
Today, he’s on the spot to steer the Sooners comfortably past an overmatched foe. Nothing less will do.
There’s a need for some confidence building in Norman, where the faithful can turn on their quarterbacks faster than a Heisman winner can float a pass in the Sugar Bowl.
Fans need to believe in Thompson. Coaches and teammates need to believe in Thompson. And most importantly, Thompson needs to believe in himself.
Plan of attack: It’s time to pull back the curtains on OU’s offense, tweaked and twisted to fit Thompson behind closed doors most of August.
But how much of the eventual offense will we see today? Count on a decent preview. Holding back, as the Sooners did in last year’s opener, when some of the playbook was missing, is too risky considering all the uncertainty surrounding Thompson.
It may be just enough to tease, but it should be enough to please.
Rufus and Co.For all the attention heaped on the offense this preseason, OU’s defense has somehow slipped through unannounced.
That’s a tall order for a crew featuring the bluster of Larry Birdine and the star power of Rufus Alexander. And it’s a defense expected to conjure memories of the stoutest units from early in Bob Stoops’ tenure.
Blazers coach Watson Brown claimed the Sooners “D” was the best he’d seen on tape in his 12 seasons at UAB. And that’s last year’s defense he’s referring to.
Get ready, Watson. This bunch should be better.
Unleashing ReggieRepeat after me: Reg-gie, Reg-gie, Reg-gie. See No. 3? You can’t miss him.
Covering passes at corner.
Catching passes at receiver.
On the return team, both punt and kickoff.
He’s everywhere.
Prepare for Mr. Multiple, Reggie Smith.
Brown bagging Watson Brown once coached in crimson and cream, running the Sooner offenses of 1993 and ’94. He also persuaded Cale Gundy to join the profession, a move paying off for OU now.
But he’s better known as Mack Brown’s brother.
And Mack is enemy No. 1 in these parts.
